The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
Radio signals can vary in received strength depending on factors such as the distance between the radio transmitter and receiver, as well as the type of environment that the radio signal travels through. In an effort to improve radio signal quality, some vehicle radio systems employ several different antennas in a diversity system that selects the antenna providing the strongest signal. As a result, vehicles typically include several different antennas to receive radio signals. However, having multiple antennas visible on the exterior of the vehicle may not always be aesthetically pleasing and can cause styling issues.
One approach to conceal multiple antennas on a vehicle is to place the antennas in either the windshield or the rear glass of the vehicle. However, this approach may no longer be an option because of some types of regulatory standards that restrict the use of the windshield due to window glazing requirements, or require metalized rear glass that would interfere with antenna reception. Moreover, if the vehicle is a convertible where the roof can retract and fold away, the rear glass will be lowered when the roof is retracted, thereby affecting antenna reception.
While current diversity antenna systems achieve their intended purpose, there is a need for a new and improved diversity antenna system which exhibits improved performance from the standpoint of appearance.